Justice Rohit B Deo Of Bombay High Court Resigns From Office In Open Court

Justice Deo had previously been part of the bench that cleared Professor GN Saibaba of charges related to Maoist links last year.

Justice Rohit B Deo of the Bombay High Court announced his resignation from his position. Presiding over the Nagpur bench of the High Court, Justice Deo made this announcement on Friday. While delivering the news of his resignation, he offered an apology in the open court, expressing no ill will towards anyone and adjourned the listed matters scheduled for the day. Addressing the present lawyers, he encouraged them to continue their diligent efforts and expressed regret for instances where his approach had been stringent, as reported by the Indian Express.

Justice Deo did not explicitly state the reason for his decision to resign. However, according to a lawyer present in the courtroom, he mentioned that he "cannot work against his self-respect," as reported by PTI.

In 2022, Justice Deo acquitted former Delhi University professor GN Saibaba in a case involving alleged Maoist links. He nullified the life imprisonment imposed on Saibaba, citing that the trial proceedings were deemed "null and void" due to the absence of valid sanction under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The Supreme Court intervened by staying the order and instructing the Nagpur bench of the High Court to reexamine the case.

Recently, Justice Deo issued a stay on the implementation of a Maharashtra Government Resolution dated January 3. The resolution empowered the state to revoke punitive actions initiated by the revenue department concerning the unauthorized extraction of minor minerals by contractors involved in the construction or execution of the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Expressway.

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Initially appointed as an additional judge of the Bombay High Court on June 5, 2017, Justice Deo was subsequently designated as a permanent judge on April 12, 2019. His anticipated retirement date was December 4, 2025. Prior to serving as a judge of the High Court, Justice Deo held the position of Advocate General for the Maharashtra government in 2016.